What began as as attempt to assist a motorist-in-need ended in a burglary arrest last week when a Lumpkin County deputy came across the alleged culprit behind a series of local thefts as he was stranded in Sky Country.

Joshua Hayes, 18, was taken to Lumpkin County Detention Center shortly after his Nissan Xterra broke down in the downtown subdivision early Sunday morning.

“An officer was actually doing some patrolling in the area and noticed that a car appeared to be broken down on the side of the roadway,” said Investigator Wesley Burnett. “The officer recalled that sometime earlier there had been an [alert] for a red vehicle possibly occupied by a burglary suspect.”

Hayes reportedly told authorities he was visiting a friend in the neighborhood.

However, suspicions were compounded when Officer Mark Sutton reportedly spotted a small amount of marijuana in the vehicle.

“It was in plain view in the passengers seat of the vehicle,” said Burnett. “Then he also located some in his pants pocket.”

An ensuing search of the vehicle turned up a bevy of allegedly stolen goods which were allegedly lifted from 10 vehicles and one residence over a week and half time span.

Burnett said most of the thefts occurred in the Sky Country neighborhood as Hayes reportedly entered unlocked vehicles at night and pilfered them of their valuables.

In one case, Hayes allegedly jimmied a lock and entered a residence as well.

The stolen items ranged from iPods to iPhones to shoes to sunglasses to textbooks to trading cards.

What began as as attempt to assist a motorist-in-need ended in a burglary arrest last week when a Lumpkin County deputy came across the alleged culprit behind a series of local thefts as he was stranded in Sky Country.

Joshua Hayes, 18, was taken to Lumpkin County Detention Center shortly after his Nissan Xterra broke down in the downtown subdivision early Sunday morning.

“An officer was actually doing some patrolling in the area and noticed that a car appeared to be broken down on the side of the roadway,” said Investigator Wesley Burnett. “The officer recalled that sometime earlier there had been an [alert] for a red vehicle possibly occupied by a burglary suspect.”

Hayes reportedly told authorities he was visiting a friend in the neighborhood.

However, suspicions were compounded when Officer Mark Sutton reportedly spotted a small amount of marijuana in the vehicle.

“It was in plain view in the passengers seat of the vehicle,” said Burnett. “Then he also located some in his pants pocket.”

An ensuing search of the vehicle turned up a bevy of allegedly stolen goods which were allegedly lifted from 10 vehicles and one residence over a week and half time span.

Burnett said most of the thefts occurred in the Sky Country neighborhood as Hayes reportedly entered unlocked vehicles at night and pilfered them of their valuables.

In one case, Hayes allegedly jimmied a lock and entered a residence as well.

The stolen items ranged from iPods to iPhones to shoes to sunglasses to textbooks to trading cards.